1
as in exception
something that is different from what is ordinary or expected
her C grade is an anomaly, as she's never made anything except A's and B's before
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in abnormality
a person, thing, or event that is far from normal
snow in July is an anomaly in most of the northern hemisphere
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of anomaly
For a competitive industry that generally takes itself quite seriously, the event is a goofy anomaly and rare moment of unity.
—
Jessica Testa, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2025
In June 2023, these devices picked up an audible anomaly located at the general time and place of the Titan implosion.
—Nate Anderson, Ars Technica, 12 Feb. 2025
Michael viewed last year’s Dodgers playoff win over the Padres — and eventual World Series victory — as an anomaly.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Feb. 2025
The inadequate staffing at the Reagan airport tower was also hardly an anomaly.
—Kaanita Iyer, CNN, 2 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anomaly
Jessica Testa, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2025
In June 2023, these devices picked up an audible anomaly located at the general time and place of the Titan implosion.
—Nate Anderson, Ars Technica, 12 Feb. 2025
Michael viewed last year’s Dodgers playoff win over the Padres — and eventual World Series victory — as an anomaly.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Feb. 2025
The inadequate staffing at the Reagan airport tower was also hardly an anomaly.
—Kaanita Iyer, CNN, 2 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anomaly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anomaly
Noun
-
The exception is the SanDisk Desk Drive, which is a tabletop SSD that requires its own power source.—
PCMAG,
PCMAG,
23 Feb. 2025
-
The only exception to this rule, the official said, would be when the videos of the rapes were shown.—
Katie Ebner-Landy,
The New Yorker,
22 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
While repeating faces could just be poor design, missing fingers, limbs, or other abnormalities are typical hallmarks of Gen-AI models.—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
4 Feb. 2025
-
One agency that deserves to feel the horns of the bull-in-the-china-shop-in-chief is the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), an ugly mess of structural abnormalities and constitutional affronts.—
David B. McGarry,
National Review,
28 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
In 1910, a high school diploma was a rarity in the United States, the province of elites destined to be ministers, doctors, or lawyers.—
Matthew J. Slaughter,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Feb. 2025
-
Banks herself rose through the ranks in the early 1990s, when Black high-fashion models on the runway and in magazines were still a rarity.—
Essence,
Essence,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Types 1 through 4 are linked to a mutation in both copies of the SMN1 gene (on chromosome 5), which leads to few or no full-length, functional SMN proteins produced.—
Jack Knudson,
Discover Magazine,
20 Feb. 2025
-
About 1% of all children with intellectual disabilities have a mutation of the gene.—
Evan Bush,
NBC News,
18 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Distorted and exaggerated by Weegee’s hand—with grins set in a chilling rictus, or eyes and noses spread wide and pancaked—these idols became monsters.—
Naomi Fry,
The New Yorker,
22 Feb. 2025
-
Monster Train 2 looks to be building on the foundations of its predecessor, so players will once again board a train and defend it against incoming monster hordes on several vertical levels at the same time.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
20 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
What prompted the freak-out was Netflix’s warning that growth in the first part of 2022 would be slowing down — way down, as in nearly half of the 2021 Q1 growth.—
Vulture,
Vulture,
28 Jan. 2022
-
The latest episode of the Fox first responder series saw a freak storm system wreak havoc at a carnival, particularly for a newly single dad, Trevor (Lucifer's D.B. Woodside), who had to be rescued by the 126 twice in one day.—
Patrick Gomez,
EW.com,
25 Jan. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Anomaly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anomaly. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share